A cursed politician of a cursed people in a cursed country

Bart De Wever, a cursed politician. Born in Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium, just a few kilometres from the Belgium/ Dutch border and this results in such a difference. When he would have been born in the Netherlands, with his political inside he may be its PM and the country may flourish while he may not grow such a dislike for what are considered left political parties, the socialist and green (although for me the green are today's liberals while liberals became neoliberals LINK ARTICLE ON BLOG). However, he's born in Belgium. And so are all other Flemish. And the curse even extends to all Belgians as we all need to continue opposing each other political while we can live together at personal levels.

 

History and today through my eyes

Mr De Wever is considered by many as the devil in person because he defends the right that Flemish people are treated with respect, certainly in their own region Flanders where people speak the language Dutch (many call it "Flemish").

 

But again and again because he and his party the N-VA defends the Flemish's right to speak Flemish in Flanders, including in Flanders' region around Brussels, his opponents preach Flemish people are fascists. Even those who were ones considered to be defenders of Flemish people when they were member of the previous Flemish nationalistic party Volksunie (such as Bert Anciaux who now suggests that English and Arabic should become official languages in Brussels so people from the rest of the world don't need to learn the language of the region where they live and the Flemish culture can completely disappear (as still may happen)) anger many Flemish who always had to defend their culture; this person is today a socialist and together with communists and green they hate it that people should integrate because than their children will face more competition and thus I think that being "against integration" is the worse form of racism as it's a hidden one. Because of what many Flemish nationalists consider as a betrayal by some earlier nationalists when they joined the left, many nationalists hate the left, a hate that's only growing (to know, read comments below newspaper articles) as the Wallone socialist party PS hates any Flemish person who even question as an intellectual exercise whether Belgium should continue or not but also because the left opposes any Flemish economic plan to reduce Belgium's deficit.

 

Flanders' history within Belgium

The Flemish, a cursed people. Never as far as I know did they demand that parts of Wallonia would become part of Flanders as they are happy with their territory although they want Brussels back, a city that became francophone during Leopold ii's reign. Compare with Wallonia where a large number of politicians demanded that Voeren, a small Flemish area located in Wallonia, returned to Wallonia. Only because people from the Netherlands moved into Voeren lost the hate figure Happart (a member of the PS) after which he moved back to Wallonia. In contrast, the Flemish never demanded that Comines, a small Wallone region in Flanders would be given to Flanders. Indeed, a very complex country that was made for troubles but lasted nearly 200 years whereby the Flemish receive all blame for what's wrong in Belgium)

 

The area around Brussels, also part of Flanders. Wallones demand since ages the right to speak French and Flemish oppose this as people should speak the language of the region where they decide to live (every Flemish person will agree). But, Flemish who go shopping in Belgium's capital Brussels, officially a bilingual French-Dutch city, often complain they are not served in their own language as shop servants look down on Flemish people (although it's improving). Still, the Flemish are considered to be fascists because they complain about not being served in their own language, certainly in Flanders (I remember ones being in a restaurant in Zaventem, a Flemish town where I had to order food in French).

Such problems do not exist in Wallonia because Flemish people who move to Wallonia speak French as they accept it is a French speaking region. But, as Flemish people say Wallones should speak Dutch in Flanders, they are the one who cause troubles. And as any foreigner will agree, Wallones are right to speak French anywhere in their own country. BTW, to illustrate the respect for each other culture, while Flemish radio stations play daily French music, Wallone radio stations don't even know Flemish music exist. But, the Flemish are the fascists.

 

Further back in history, the Flemish had to fight for their right to have courses in their own region at Flemish universities in Ghent (100 years after Belgium's independence) and Leuven (52 years ago), two Flemish cities, a struggle Wallones never had to fight except to prevent those universities became for locals. Yes, without Flemish extremists such as Paul Goossens who fought to make the university Flemish, we may not have these troubles as we may all speak French (while later I heard he spoke out against other Flemish extremists). Compare these protests with other countries where bombs were used to achieve

 

Before that Belgium's elite and thus politics and army were francophone while ordinary Flemish people were poorly educated as education was too expensive but still needed to understand what was a foreign language. But, also ordinary Wallones were poor and unimportant for Belgium's francophone elite while since Flanders emancipation Wallonia's position improved.

 

Why do I refer to fascism? But it is through a number of Flemish collaborated with Hitler while Wallone Leon Degrelle and its army should not be mentioned and he could have a good life until his death in Franco's Spain. And although fascists and nazi's lived in Flanders, many Jews survived WWII.

 

Flanders in Europe's history

Let's go back centuries and thus before the creation of Belgium: since the Roman invasion by Julius Caesar, Flanders has been a colony almost nonstop (only the gods know why they cursed this area and its inhabitants so severely) although its culture still exist. The Romans are also the main reason why Europe is divided in a southern Romance and northern Germanic divide with their different languages but also economic thinking as in the Germanic part the Roman influence was less or non existent.

 

After the Romans, the region of Flanders would hardly ever be under self rule; it started with Clovis I who also converted to and thus introduced Catholicism in this area of Europe. Later the Holy Roman Empire, France (such as Clovis, the First French Republic and Napoleon), Spain, the Netherlands to name only a few, fought to rule over Flanders in their foreign languages. Even what Flemish consider as their short lived independence was in effect a Burgundian family who ruled the Flemish until their destruction. Also the Spanish rule brought terror in Flanders that destroyed the Golden Age of Antwerp; the reason for Spain's fury was that the Spanish Netherlands became protestants and the Spanish king decided he had to enforce Roman Catholicism so those who could fled to Amsterdam and founded the Netherlands, the start of the Dutch Golden Age of Amsterdam but centuries of poverty in Flanders as the Netherlands closed the river Schelde that was essential for Flanders economy. This poverty latest until decades after the founding of Belgium while the emancipation of Flanders resulted in wealth, not only for Flanders but also for Wallonia, also a region in poverty although a little less until Flanders developed into the rich region it is today.

 

As you can read, the region's history is very complex as Flanders and Wallonia are situated between what are now UK, Germany, France and further away Spain and other countries with royal families who were in effect fighting for their heritage so both regions suffered a lot such as during Hundred Years War, Napoleonic wars, WWI and WWII to name a few wars. And thus now the Flemish want to speak their own language in their own country without being condemned that they don't accept that Wallones who move to Flanders continue to speak French. They also want to implement their own economic ideas without always having to compromis so no-one is happy. How different it all could have been when only the whole of the Spanish Netherlands would have become independent as one nation in which all people would speak Dutch; no-one questions that people don't speak French in the Netherlands.

 

Today's Belgium and its politics

Those who are labelled as extremist Flemish agree that Wallones may want to do things different and thus speak about federalism (current form), confederalism (I think this should be the next step) and even the end of Belgium to form two separate states within the EU (as a United Regions of Europe) so they can have normal relations. However, because of the curse of Belgium, even in a federal country, one region automatically influences the other so many Flemish people voice their frustration when their decisions over Flanders are blocked by Wallones while Wallones defend in public the union of Belgium but are angry when Flanders blocks Wallonia's policies throughout Belgium. And thus some think that a return to the old way of doing politics is the solution, i.e. more centralised powers whereby a few politicians try to find compromises behind closed doors that will please few, i.e. the return of particracy. But maybe it should be tried to proof sceptics wrong.

 

And thus, again and again compromises have to be invented that cost Belgium billions of euros and prevent essential reforms many Flemish are asking for. These include the reform of Belgium's pension system because that is long overdue but also one Brussels' mayor and police force instead of 19 as Wallones prefer (I think the 19 mayors can exist as destrict authority over local issues while Brussels' government acts over the whole area). Wallonia could also have one instead of two governments. To defend these changes "extremist" Flemish refer to the Netherlands and Germany where pensions are reformed, countries that flourish and are prepared for the future in contrast to Belgium that prefers the wisdom of old PM Dehaene "to solve problems ones you face them", one of the most stupid sayings ever.

 

And thus now, Mr De Wever is someone who wants to do what he promised his voters, i.e. to not change the essence of his party's program to be in power, something belgicists are not used as certain Flemish parties always compromised to remain in power and thus politicians talk about political games as if it is wrong to keep essential electoral promises although of course some compromises can't be excluded to form a coalition (in Belgium up to 6,7,8 parties are talking to form a majority so you understand that's almost impossible while the region's formed governments much quicker with 2 or 3 parties as in normal countries).

 

Flanders' political parties

When we look to the evolution of Flanders' political parties, there is always a similar evolution: from party for Belgium that changes to become a party for Flanders and when it grows it moves again in the directing of more Belgian.

• When the liberal party VVD became small, Guy Verhofstadt became its president who changed the name into open-VLD that was more Flemish oriented so he and his party became big, resulting in power with a minister-president of the Flemish government, i.e. Mr Dewael while Mr Verhofstadt himself became Belgium's PM of a purple-green government that prepared Belgium for the future such as nuclear exit and other important decisions such as euthanasia, LGBT marriage and a silver funds to finance future pensions. But, it was all fake because as soon as was possible a government was formed without the green. After that, the right open-VLD couldn't stop its decline as it became a belgicist party that rather rules with the left Wallone PS than with Flemish green and thus open-VLD compromised too much towards the left for many Flemish people while remained too right for Wallones. Now Mr Verhofstadt is a member of the EU's parliament were he became one of the most vocal politicians to ridicule anyone who speak about more autonomy for regions; 

• The old Belgicist CVP tried the same by changing its name into CD&V but failed because it lost its belgicist voters as it tried to win over Flemish voters who remembered a power party that would do anything to remain in Belgium's government while it was always too close to the Roman Catholic Church on ethical principles; the recent renewed abortion debate proved it didn't change much as it tries to win back conservative voters. As it lost appeal, it tried to improve its Flemish image via a collaboration with the newly founded N-VA.

This minor party was a remnant of the previous Volksunie (see higher) that felt apart into Spirit with Bert Anciaux that formed a team with the Flemish socialist party sp.a and eventually they merged as Flanders' only socialist party. Still, this party's intellectual ex-president Frank Vandenbroucke warn many times pension reforms are urgently needed (thus agreeing with Flemish nationalists).

However, the N-VA under Bart De Wever was different as it wasn't racist and LGBT unfriendly so many people who wanted to vote for a Flemish party other than the extreme right Vlaams Blok (now Vlaams Belang (VB) after a conviction for racism) now had the possibility to vote for a moderate Flemish voice and so the N-VA became the biggest Flemish and even Belgian party while a cost for the extreme VB although it wasn't able to deliver Belgium's PM as the Wallone socialists prevented this, together with Flemish parties that couldn't stop saying how evil Flemish people must be when they vote for the N-VA. Thus, the N-VA really became the party you have to curse; even Flemish persons who are radical in refusing to speak French in Brussels repeat how evil the N-VA and its Flemish voters are and thus confirm what Wallone politicians tell the world: Flemish people are fascists and worse than Hitler. The result is a hardening of the N-VA; I'm always surprised how patient Bart De Wever is after all the lies that are told about him. And now this, in order to gain power it starts to talk to the extremist VB and thus in the end they will gain power.

 

Long ago Belgian political parties were one such as one Belgian socialist and Christian and Liberal party. Later when they became unworkable they divided so Flanders and Wallonia now have their own political parties and until only a few years ago, political families tried to balance each other in the Belgian government. However, since the rise of the N-VA, such symmetrical coalitions became unlikely because the PS refuses to govern with the N-VA and thus asymmetrical Belgian government need to be formed such as the last one that was a coalition of right leaning parties with even a minority in Wallonia as many Wallones can't even bring themselves to vote for the liberal MR, a Wallone party slightly more to the right than Flanders' sp.a.

 

Today certain politicians are dreaming of reunited parties and more centralised power to save Belgium but I think they can continue to dream because the division between Flanders and Wallonia will continue to exist as it isn't only a language difference but also a difference in political and economic thinking with Flanders more right, i.e. everyone can start their own business versus Wallonia more left, i.e. everyone can work for someone else's company. I fear this moving further to the right in Flanders will only be halted when people no longer vote as they do to keep the Wallone socialists out of power, while now even the communists are rising. But, let those who believe more Belgium is the solution proof me wrong. Good luck to them as everyone is fed-up with the current situation.

 

Coronavirus

Now a coronavirus crisis that cost Belgium and its regions extra billions of euros. Bart De Wever, mayor of Antwerp speaks of economic actions that are needed post lockdown. He speaks about actions already taken by the French, Dutch, German,... governments while the Belgium government is discussing what to do as two opposing opinions need to be combined to something few like so people can continue to say politicians do it only for the money.

 

For instance, in many other countries pensions are reformed while in Belgium we wait until there is a problem. An emergency government is ruling the country to deal with the coronavirus crisis but already, even before this crisis comes to an end and the recovery still needs to kick-start, major differences between Flanders and Wallonia become visible. This is not because Bart De Wever is in the government but also because CD&V and open-VLD have different ideas than Wallonia's socialist PS. Indeed, Bart De Wever is a liberal but cursed in Belgium as he's honest that the country can't continue as it does while others on the right curse Mr De Wever but become angry when they have to deal with the PS that has other opinions. And Belgicists are the worse as they condemn anyone who acknowledge that Belgium no longer functions and declare them enemies who should be ignored but they have no solution themselves. They will likely also oppose Mr De Wever when he may become PM of Belgium as he wishes to be, certainly when he likely will introduce actions to reduce Belgium's deficit and impose essential changes. Indeed, as already done in Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia, countries that flourish although not all is perfect.

 

As the federal system, i.e. more decisions taken by the regions, seems to work very well as the regions continue and even in the Belgium parliament members discuss new laws, Belgicist politicians and public are now saying that more Belgium, i.e. a return of powers away from the regions towards the federal government is the solution for Belgium's problems. Intellectual it causes short circuit in my brain: the reason why Belgium became a federal state was because Belgium was too expensive and it was too difficult to reach compromises that pleased only a few so they needed to be rediscussed to form new compromises.

 

What may be the future? A self-fulfilling prophecy?

Thus, I think Bart De Wever may still become PM when the situation becomes worse, that may be his curse and that of any Flemish politicians who may be in his government. Whatever he will do, many Wallones have it in their genes to oppose him after years of lies are told about him and his voters in the hope it would damage him. But, not only politicians from Wallonia are to blame for his bad name, also many Flemish people confirmed what Wallones said as they too think every person who wants to rule themself is evil. And, when Wallones PS continues to block the N-VA and joined with the sp.a, it may end with the N-VA looking for support by extreme right VB to form a Belgian government so the Wallones can congratulate each other that they were right that all Flemish are bad. Flemish voices become louder to accept VB to end Belgium's standstill.

 

Still, we should remember that many Flemish stopped voting for the extreme right Vlaams Belang with its racist and other -ism policies because the N-VA was for a more open Flanders but yes, with law and order as in other countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, UK, Denmark. But, even when mayor De Wever allows gay prides march through Antwerp, makes Antwerp more beautiful with fewer traffic, whatever he does, he and his followers are condemned.

 

And thus, if he may become PM of Belgium, in the end may happen what many fear: a man and followers who become bitter because for all good they want for Flanders and even Belgium such as getting rid of Belgium's enormous debt and finally reforming the pension system, large numbers of people will likely continue to oppose him and claim he's not their PM. Then he can either leave but, as he considers it his duty to get rid of the PS's power grip over Flanders, he may continue, despise possible protests against reforms.

 

The main problem is that Mr De Wever is too conservative in his economic and environmental thinking while he thinks very badly about socialist and green movements, and this only worsens because they are his main opponents, spreading disinformation about him and Flemish people in general so many people within Belgium and far beyond think the Flemish are really fascists.

 

Indeed, Flanders don't want to sign the minority treaty as they fear this will open Flanders' gates for French speaking people to claim they have a right to destroy the Flemish culture, together with foreigners who too don't want to learn Dutch - understandable as it's only a small language in a country with a French language. I think that's also the reason why Mr Anciaux wants to recognise Arabic and English as official languages, to show the whole world the Flemish are better than what they hear and thus further radicalising many Flemish until they become what many fear: an angry racist, LGBT phobic, anti Wallones and anti left people as "the left" can only criticise those who want to speak their own language and have their own policies in their own region while many people are fed up with a standstill. When this may happen than the Wallones are right to leave Belgium as good people, driven away by scum. And Brussels? I think it ends up with Wallonia because its inhabitants don't want to belong to narrow-minded people. Still, that may be better or Flanders will continue to have a French minority. And thus, the people who (try to) speak French, English, German become the narrow-minded people. How the bully becomes the winner and the bullied the angry person. It was all so different in the past:

 

The Flemish defended LGBT rights (I remember the nearly absence of Wallones in past prides when it was organised in Flanders but even in Brussels) with an important LGBT scene in Antwerp but the Wallones can claim they had one of the first gay PM in the world (although he was ousted) while the N-VA delegation is attacked during Belgian pride and afterwards no excuses but instead the party is no longer welcome. So, one day they may have enough of insults and radicalism against the "left" who claim to be pro LGBT is already growing. Indeed, many Belgians hate each other without recognising this hate.

 

Flemish (although not all) spoke about the right for women to have abortion while now the Flemish CD&V blocks a relaxation while the Wallone MR defends it is discussed in parliament. Also the N-VA and VB don't want a relaxation as is their right.

 

Flemish spoke against racism and via a cordon sanitaire against their own extreme right Vlaams Belang, a real curse for Flanders and blessing for Wallonia. Recently during Black Lives Matter protests, people protested against king Leopold ii's reign in Congo that was a real terror and some of his statues were damaged. As a reaction, Belgium's Head of State King Filip I expressed sorrows for the suffering of the Congolese during those years (although Congolese expect more and help during the climate change and healthcare may be ways to repay our wrongs). However, most Flemish didn't get further than come to the defence of Leopold's statues, even when we know he was a mass murderer, including children, while he kept Belgium poor except an elite and Brussels became francophone; he was such a bad person that white Belgians booed him during his funeral. Thus, while Wallones are preparing to acknowledge the terror by Belgians, Flemish are defending statues of the worst king for both Congolese and Belgians/Flemish. Would Flemish also defend statues of Hitler to remember the past? Congo is francophone because a francophone elite colonised it but in the end Congo may blame the Flemish.

 

The curse of Belgium. Many Belgians are hypocrites who speak positive when the world "Belgium" is mentioned but can only complain when the name is not mentioned. Because, indeed, its politics are compromises that pleases no-one. And thus, few people speak truth while many foreigners don't like it that few Belgians say what they mean, always trying to position themselves somewhere in the middle because speaking truth may result in losing friends

 

The result of Belgium's policies is that almost all what was ones national companies (such as Electrabel and its nuclear reactions to produce electricity, PetroFina that is now part of TotalFina, the ASLK and Generale Bank that formed Fortis that is now part of Paribas, ... ) ended up in French ownership so that, when Flanders may become independent, it may be impoverished as it was in the past. But even the Dutch don't seem to understand how the francophone Belgicist establishment did everything to prevent that Belgian companies were sold to other countries than France and the struggle costed the Dutch a lot. Other companies such as the brewer InBev were sold by the owners to Brazil's AmBev and its functioning management is no longer in Leuven but moved to NY and thus it became a foreign company. And thus Flanders has no big companies left but instead depends on the goodwill of other nations.

 

Therefore, instead that Bart De Wever continues to promote Belgium's nuclear sector that is almost falling apart so most had to be closed whereby its profits go to the mother company in France. Or instead of promoting the oil and gas industry that will become smaller (as even oil and gas producers understand) while profits are for foreign investors. Or defending big banks that may direct profits to the mother holding, although this didn't happen in the end because the ECB told banks not to pay dividends during the coronavirus crisis.

 

Instead Bart De Wever should direct attention towards the future green energy as that will keep Flanders (and other regions) afloat. But instead, Flemish people were severely punished with an additional energy charge of €100 to compensate for earlier financial help to install green energy. People should also be able to use the energy they produce with solar panels while excess energy can be directed to the electricity grid. This way money remains local instead that it flows to foreign headquarters while Belgium/Flanders become more independent from foreign countries and companies for its oil, gas and electricity. And yes, financial support don't need to be given to people who have the money to install clean energy production units. But, continued investments in nuclear energy is an extremely costly investment to keep it safe while it results in dependency of import of uranium.

 

Also an immediate end to more buildings in the countryside should be supported while cities and towns should become more pedestrian and cycling friendly as is done in Antwerp where he is mayor. Further, more protection of nature where people can enjoy their country.

 

Conclusion

Flanders and its people, a cursed region, occupied since Julius Caesar and the battleground of many competing powers. Still, in a Europe with open borders, will anyone notice the difference when Belgium is broken into two as people can travel freely from one area to another?

 

When more powers for the capital will fail and Belgium may end, will it be like the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia or more like Yugoslavia?

 

Will the end of Belgium liberate Belgians? Wallones will no longer be told to learn the small language Dutch. The Flemish will accept that when Wallones come to visit Flanders they don't speak Dutch so Flemish will (try to) speak French or the international language English as many like to speak many languages.

But, when people move to either Wallonia or Flanders, they will accept they have to learn the language of that region.

 

It may be a blessing when the regions of Belgium become like any other country. Flanders may or may not join the Netherlands while Wallonia may or may not join France.

But, I fear that, to continue having to live together in a country with different languages and economic ideas may only harden the viewpoints as politicians can't find compromises to form a Belgian government. And when such a government exist than ministers can't do good as the Covid-19 crisis shows.

As Ireland, the former Yugoslavian, USSR and Czechoslovakian states and colonies throughout the world, people wanted to liberate themselves from others to be their own boss. Often this was achieved after a battle although not always. Afterwards, life continues and often relations between people improved while states collaborate, even when first people thought a split would be a disaster.

But I also understand those who want to keep Belgium together. They are like the Chinese who tell people in Hong Kong that Hong Kong belongs to China and must respect it. They are like the Spanish who don't want to lose Catalonia and thus imprison democratically-elected politicians. Indeed, few people want the destruction of countries.

 

Belgium, Europe in small in which tensions are rising as the northern regions are much wealthier than southern regions that results in tensions.